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0 pointsasuffield9y ago0 comments

(Tedious disclaimer: my opinion only, not speaking for anybody else. I'm an SRE at Google.)

One might describe it as a social botnet: somebody convinced a bunch of people to execute some code on their computer that sent automated search queries.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66357?hl=en

"Google's Terms of Service do not allow the sending of automated queries of any sort to our system without express permission in advance from Google."

Intentionally using a tool to send automated search queries is pretty clearly prohibited.

0 comments

tmpanon1234act9y ago

This whole incident has convinced me to actually use a tool like this, so I'm going to write one and distribute the extension code for free. I promise you won't be able to detect it, so good luck.

I think anyone who wants the ability to obscure their search footprint should have it. And if you think otherwise, I'm doubly convinced it's necessary.

tamana9y ago

TrackMeBot turns 10 years old this summer: http://cs.nyu.edu/trackmenot/

alblue9y ago

What about if they were not performing the searches intentionally? What prevents someone paying to serve an advert that does exactly the same thing?

tamana9y ago

Does that mean any malicious website can shut down any web user's Google account?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsasuffield9y ago0 comments

(Tedious disclaimer: my opinion only, not speaking for anybody else. I'm an SRE at Google.)

One might describe it as a social botnet: somebody convinced a bunch of people to execute some code on their computer that sent automated search queries.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66357?hl=en

"Google's Terms of Service do not allow the sending of automated queries of any sort to our system without express permission in advance from Google."

Intentionally using a tool to send automated search queries is pretty clearly prohibited.

0 comments

tmpanon1234act9y ago

This whole incident has convinced me to actually use a tool like this, so I'm going to write one and distribute the extension code for free. I promise you won't be able to detect it, so good luck.

I think anyone who wants the ability to obscure their search footprint should have it. And if you think otherwise, I'm doubly convinced it's necessary.

tamana9y ago

TrackMeBot turns 10 years old this summer: http://cs.nyu.edu/trackmenot/

alblue9y ago

What about if they were not performing the searches intentionally? What prevents someone paying to serve an advert that does exactly the same thing?

tamana9y ago

Does that mean any malicious website can shut down any web user's Google account?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse